> Wende Cartwright and Susan Crocker Named New Co-Chairs of Institute for Contemporary Culture Board

Wende Cartwright and Susan Crocker Named New Co-Chairs of Institute for Contemporary Culture Board

Wednesday, December 14, 2011 - 00:00

Janet Carding, Director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), announces the appointment of Wende Cartwright and Susan Crocker as the new Co-Chairs of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Contemporary Culture (ICC). They succeed Ron Graham, who has finished his second term as ICC Chair, and will continue to serve as a member of the ROM’s Board of Trustees. The Institute for Contemporary Culture plays a vital role within the Museum, exploring current cultural, social and political issues around the world through exhibitions and various programs, lectures films and events.

"I would like to thank Ron Graham for his personal commitment in leading the ICC’s remarkable growth over the past six years,” said Janet Carding. “With the strong leadership of Wende and Susan, we look forward to continued success as we plan for innovative and inspiring exhibitions and programs that speak to our shared global experience and that connect the ROM’s collection with contemporary issues.”

Wende Cartwright is President of Savira Productions and most recently was Director of the Cultural Olympiad for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Prior to the Olympics, she was Executive Director at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She was also Executive Director/Producer at Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall, and worked at the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres and CBC Television. She is a member of Arts Consultant Canada, the Institute of Corporate Directors and Toronto Board of Trade.

Susan Crocker is Past Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Stage Theatre Company and served two terms as a ROM Trustee. She currently serves as Chair of the Toronto Arts Council Foundation and Governor of St. Francis Xavier University, and is also a recent Past Chair and Board member of the Board of Management of St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. Previously, she was CEO of Hospitals of Ontario Pension Plan, and held senior executive positions at The Toronto Stock Exchange, Ernst and Young Management Consulting and CIBC.

In 2011 the ICC featured such exhibitions as El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa,Edward Burtynsky: Oil, Bollywood Cinema Showcards: Indian Film Art from the 1950s to the 1980s, and David Hockney’s fresh flowers: Drawings on the iPhone and iPad – currently on view until January 1,2012. This year’s Eva Holtby lecture on Contemporary Culture featured Carlos Fuentes, Mexico’s most celebrated novelist and critic. For more information on exhibitions and programming presented by the ICC visit

The Institute for Contemporary Culture (ICC) is the Royal Ontario Museum's window on contemporary societies around the globe. Playing a vital role within the Museum, the ICC examines current cultural, social and political issues throughout the modern world in thought-provoking exhibitions of contemporary art, photography, architecture and design that are presented in the Roloff Beny Gallery and other galleries of the Museum. Additionally, a roster of public events including lectures, film series, debates and performances further explore relevant themes addressed in ICC exhibitions, serving as a catalyst for stimulating public conversations. The ROM's extensive collections of world cultures and natural history through the ages add context, meaning and depth to these engaging discussions of contemporary ideas.